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| Mantidactylus lovei Vences, Ramanamanjato, Miralles & Glaw, 2025 |
Abstract
We revisit the taxonomy of Madagascar's giant stream frogs of the nominal subgenus in the genus Mantidactylus. Based on newly collected material and extending available data sets of mitochondrial and nuclear-encoded DNA sequences, we confirm previous indications that the clade containing two mitochondrial line-ages (previously named as candidate species Mantidactylus sp. Ca66 and Ca67) concordantly differs from the other three nominal species in the subgenus by its phylogenetic position (not strongly supported as sister clade of any of the nominal species), a consistent mitochondrial divergence at a level similar to that found between other species of the subgenus (distances of 2.0-5.2 % in the 16S rRNA gene), and only limited haplotype sharing in three nuclear-encoded gene fragments. Also, the examined specimens for this clade are characterized, in comparison to other representatives of the subgenus, by smaller body size and a more distinct colour pattern on the flanks and the sides of the head, often with alternating light-dark vertical bands on the lips. We conclude that the available evidence is best reflected by recognizing M. sp. Ca66 as new species and we herein formally name it as Mantidactylus lovei sp. nov. In a preliminary way, we also include in this new species the specimens and samples belonging to the mitochondrial lineage M. sp. Ca67, pending further study of these genetically divergent populations. We furthermore provide preliminary evidence from archival DNA analysis confirming that the nomen Rana pigra Mocquard, 1900 is likely a junior synonym of M. guttulatus.
Miguel Vences, Jean-Baptiste Ramanamanjato, Aurélien Miralles and Frank Glaw. 2025. A New Giant Stream Frog (Genus Mantidactylus) from south-eastern Madagascar (Amphibia, Mantellidae). Spixiana. 47(2):287-300. [August 2025]
https://pfeil-verlag.de/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/47-2_8_ve.pdf
Researchgate.net/publication/395397115_A_new_Mantidactylus_from_SE_Madagascar
